SOUTHAMPTON'S namesake warship is under threat of being mothballed.

HMS Southampton is understood to be on a shortlist of ships which are likely to be downgraded to a state of "reduced readiness".

It would mean that the Type 42 destroyer, which visited Southampton for two days last month, would be about 18 months away from active service.

The Ministry of Defence said no decisions had been made on the future of Royal Navy resources.

The latest plans are intended to achieve cuts of £250m in the defence budget.

It is also thought that one of the Navy's three major ports is under threat of closure - with Southampton's south coast rival Portsmouth the most vulnerable.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "We currently have no plans to cut ship numbers.

"We routinely review whether resources are allocated where our frontline forces need them most. No decisions have been taken in this case."

He pointed out that the MoD was building new destroyers, attack submarines, and support ships for the Royal Navy and planned to sign the production contract this year for two new aircraft carriers.

HMS Southampton's latest visit to the city in December came after a two-month warfare testing mission off West Africa.

She was built at the now closed Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in Woolston. She was launched in 1979 and is the sexth vessel to bear the name.